Bio

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2020

Dr. Raymond “Tipper” Rumpf is a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He joined UTEP in 2010 to form the EM Lab where he has led a team of students to develop revolutionary technologies enabled by digital manufacturing. Rumpf’s research produced an array of significant breakthroughs in electromagnetics, photonics, and 3D printing that have earned his lab international recognition and accolades. His breakthroughs include spatially-variant lattices, new ways to control light, tightest bend of an optical beam, new ways to sculpt electromagnetic fields around electrical components, highest power frequency selective surface, thinnest dielectric antenna, automation of hybrid 3D printing and the first-ever 3D volumetric electric circuit. Rumpf is working with his business partner and best friend to commercialize some of these technologies through their business, Kraetonics LLC.

Before joining UTEP, Dr. Rumpf was the Chief Technology Officer for Prime Research LC in Blacksburg, Virginia. Rumpf helped the company transform its technology portfolio from strictly fiber optic sensors to an array of technologies for extreme applications. Before Prime, Rumpf was a Principal Investigator for Harris Corporation where he researched and developed technologies for radically miniaturizing communications systems. Dr. Rumpf has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and has been awarded over a dozen United States Patents. He also holds five world records for skydiving.

Dr. Rumpf has been recognized for his commitment to students and excellence in teaching through numerous awards including the prestigious University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, the Dean Eugene Thomas Award for Outstanding Faculty Member, the BUILDing SCHOLARS & COE Mentoring Award, multiple Dean’s Awards for Teaching and the Miguel Izquierdo Endowment for Outstanding Teaching. His research has been equally recognized with a DARPA Young Faculty Award, Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, Best Photonics Technology by Opli Magazine, the Shellenger Professorship in Electrical Research, and numerous feature articles covering his breakthroughs.

Dr. Rumpf earned his BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from Florida Tech in 1995 and 1997 respectively, and his PhD in Optics from the University of Central Florida in 2006. He serves as an Associate Editor for SPIE Optical Engineering and is active in outreach and mentoring of students in developing nations.  Rumpf developed a series of online courses, has made these freely available on EMPossible.net, and coaches hundreds of students from all parts of the world through the content.  He is a Fellow of SPIE, Senior Member of IEEE, and member of OSA and ARRL.

Dr. Rumpf currently lives in El Paso, Texas, with his wife, two children and his dog Ardie.

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